DC Comics reviews 5/16/23 – Titans #1, The Flash #799, Cyborg #1

Wonder Woman #799

For their penultimate issue of their Wonder Woman run, writers Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad decide they should try their hand at Alan Moore and Curt Swan classic “Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?”

Maybe the best aspect of the issue is it should bring more attention to the Moore/Swan story. Otherwise this feels like a fitting ill-advised final story arc for Cloonrad.

Diana’s allies Steve Trevor, Etta Candy, Siggy and Nubia are having dreams about Wonder Woman and the role she’s played in their lives.

Cloonrad has never been subtle in heaping abundant amount of praise on Diana. This issue finds Cloonrad at their worst Wonder Woman hype as ever character tells her how amazing she is and how she’s the best at everything. Diana is not a vain character and hardly needs to be propped up making this dialogue read especially egregious.

The various dreams are illustrated by artists Alitha Martinez, Mark Morales, Juan Ferreyra, Meghan Hetrick, Terry Dodson, Rachel Dodson and Paulina Gancheau.

DC uses multiple artists in so many titles now that the novelty of multiple artists drawing different chapters isn’t that exciting an idea anymore.

Switching artists for the dreams is a decent idea, but it would have been just fine with Martinez, who handles the framing sequences, drawing the entire issue.

The larger issue is Cloonrad trying to do a Wonder Woman spin on one of the all-time DC classic stories. They lack the nuance, character development and creativity to do this justice.

With incoming writer Tom King giving Wonder Woman a daughter because Superman has a son this issue shows that’s not the only inspiration the Wonder Woman teams are taking from the Man of Steel.

Rating: 4.5 out of 10

Photo Credit: DC Comics